"Ace Mechanic" name
 

Snoopy hung that on me in late "17. I was repairing the Sopworth Camel after the Red Baron shot it full of holes. Snoopy was the "Flying Ace" and I was the mechanic so it just felt natural, therefore I ran with it.

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

Well said, Ace. Lol


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Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

You would have to be an 'Ace', with those crazy 'rotary' engines they had. Look at the first few seconds of this YouTube, as someone spins the prop, and you'll see the entire engine spins, not the crankshaft. The shaft is bolted to the airframe, and the prop is bolted to the engine. 'Ace', indeed!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq78ZocOAkY

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

The result of that spinning mass of metal made it difficult to come out of some turns. Snoopy almost crashed several times in his dog fights due to that.

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

It seems so primitive but when you think how few years it'd been since the Wright brothers first flew, it puts it into perspective. They'd come a long way.

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

I remember in my youth hitch hiking across country UK on a perfect spring day to Biggleswade (great name that). On the way to the Shuttleworth collection.
At the time, on those country lanes, there was a car perhaps every 15 minutes. They always stopped. Mostly army guys, and one grand mother with a car so small I could hardly get in.
On leaving Shuttleworth a guy picked me up that turned out to be the Bristol Boxkite pilot. Shuttleworth houses the planes from "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines". His glove box was full of goggles and leather flying helmets.

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

Visited the Shuttleworth collection a while ago. Going to revisit on my next GB visit, and make sure it's a flying display day.

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

This is an a amazing statement I found.

(Those engines had one speed: On. You slow it down by cutting the ignition. That's why the occasional sputtering.)

Re: "Ace Mechanic" name
 

As I read, there was a spring loaded switch on the control stick that the pilot pressed to cut the ignition. This was especially noticeable when landing.